While many people may roll their eyes at the profession of being a “social media influencer”, others know it’s a very lucrative market for not only the influencers but also the brands they partner with. You may be wondering how that can be, assuming that most brands are paying influencers hundreds, perhaps even thousands of dollars for as little as one single post. But that’s not often the whole picture (see what I did there?) There’s a risk to assume with any marketing campaign, as a billboard on the side of the highway is no different than a social media post in many ways–in fact, a billboard probably has less of a targeted audience than a niche influencer. It’s ultimately about investing–and investing in the right people with the right audience can make a brand double, triple or even quadruple what was initially put into that campaign.

What’s more, it doesn’t have to cost thousands. You may be surprised by the number of influencers who are willing to collaborate with brands in exchange for a free service or product, or even just a retweet. So, if you’re ready to invest your brand into a successful social media influencer campaign–paid or not–you will want to follow this plan to pitch them your product:

1. Start small
   We all want to see the products we know and love (let alone the ones we make) in the hands of our favorite celebs. Unfortunately, shooting too high when your budget is less than a few hundred thousand (seriously, I’ve worked on celeb influencer campaigns) will do nothing but leave you feeling frustrated and unrecognized. A better alternative, especially when your budget is less than a few hundred dollars, is to start small with what’s called a “micro-influencer.” These social gurus are usually sporting a few thousand loyal followers evidenced by their high engagement rates. While it may seem counterproductive to work with someone with a small following, it can actually be a better investment as long as their audience is more engaged. As I tell my clients often, two good buyers are better than twenty window-shoppers.PRO TIP: Find influencers with the right audience
   Let’s face it–not every influencer is going to be right for your product. You aren’t going to have a good outcome selling beef jerky to an audience of vegans. You will have to do a little research in your niche and find social media profiles that already have similar followings to those your offers would be of interest to or influencers who have a proven record of selling products in your niche–and the latter of which isn’t so easy to prove.
2. Introduce your brand with a DM or Email
   Most influencers leave their DMs open or an email on their page specifically for business requests. You don’t have to be particularly personal in your message to them, but do offer a genuine compliment and why you believe they’re a good fit for your brand as it’s easy to tell when a message is copy-pasted. Oh, and bonus points if you “follow” and “like” some of their content before you send an email, at least that way they will feel like you did take the time to look through their page.
3. Offer something in return (even if it’s not money)
   Once you have identified an influencer that’s a potentially good match, you should complement their work and explain a little about why you’d like to partner with them and how you’d both benefit from a partnership. If your budget is small or nonexistent, you should be prepared to offer at the very least a free product or service in return for their advertisement. You can also try leveraging that you’ll “share them back” when they post about your company–this works especially well if you have a larger following.
4. Be open to counteroffers
   Don’t be upset if an influencer says they’re not accepting any free or low-paid campaigns at this time, that’s just business, baby. Instead, ask them what their rates are and try to meet them somewhere in the middle. If that’s still not doable, thank them for their time and let them know that should they change their mind to contact you. Sometimes influencers are so overwhelmed with work and low-paying offers that they have to prioritize the best-paying ones first–and that should be okay.
5. Ask for references
   Whether you work with an influencer or not, don’t be afraid to ask them to let their friends know that you’re looking for others like them to partner with and if they’d be so kind to put you in contact it would be great. Again, everyone is different so even if one influencer said no, their best friend might say yes!

Oh and by the way… remember to have realistic expectations–this is a numbers game. You won’t get a response from everyone, who knows, you might even get blocked for no apparent reason. Not every campaign or influencer will be successful, you might have to message a hundred people before you find one within your budget. But if nothing else, you can rest assured that your efforts will be rewarded eventually–or at very least, you could try to use it as a business expense write-off.